Understanding Rapid and Opportunistic Socio-technical Change in the Context of Urban Water Management

Abstract

The widespread installation of government subsidized household rainwater tanks (HRWTs) achieved during the Millennium Drought in south East Queensland (SEQ), Australia, demonstrates the potential for water communities to capitalize on rapid socio-technical change opportunities. However, recent research in the field of Sustainable Urban Water Management (SUWM) points to a lack of systematic approaches that water practitioners can draw on to understand and anticipate such changes. To address this gap, this paper uses the Realistic Evaluation approach to examine the system conditions and responses which led to an increase in HRWT ownership in SEQ from 4.8% in 2006 to approximately 40% in 2009. The study’s findings are then discussed in their applicability to SUWM in Georgia.